The Tale of the Man
by TranquilityGoddess
Summary: AU of "Mulan." What if Mulan wasn't a female, and was actually "Fa Ping"? Well, this is his story.


**_Disclaimer:_** The movie, _Mulan_, belongs to all who created it, animated it, and did the voices for it (especially the Walt Disney company and Walt Disney himself at some point). In no way am I claiming property rights.

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**_A/N:_** Well, after watching _Mulan_, this is the idea I get. My hopes are high that you'll enjoy it, so please do. Reviewers, flamers, and constructive criticizers are always welcome; just nothing _too_ violent or something that seems as if a n00b had written it.

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**The Tale of the Man**

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_By TranquilityGoddess_

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**Summary:** AU of "Mulan." What if Mulan wasn't a female, and was actually "Fa Ping"? Well, this is _his_ story.

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**Warnings:** MALE Mulan (as _Ping_), Slash.

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**Pairing:** _Ping_/Shang

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_Chapter the First_

The Matchmaker and The Way To The Army

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**Begin ****Chapter**

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The early morning's rays shot up like a cannonball through the early gray sky. Fa Ping was already up, talking with his horse, Khan, ready to go for another ride, when he heard his mother, Fa Li, call him back into the house.

"Yes, Mama," he responded, "you called for me?"

"The matchmaker has required your presence," replied his mother, "along with a few of the other men quite your age."

His father, Fa Zhou, came limping from the garden's gate. His wooden staff was grasped with his left hand as he walked slowly towards his son's side.

"I am sure," said Fa Zhou, "that there are many women out there for you."

"Oh, yeah..." muttered Ping. _Surely I'm too young for this_, he thought disdainfully.

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_Next Scene_

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Ping walked briskly towards the matchmaker's place. It was a very quaint place...if you were one who decided another's wife or husband. It was a tradition in the current era of the Emperor, and all men and women of whom were of age had to visit this matchmaker and find the 'perfect' bride or husband.

Beside him as he bowed low on the matchmaker's grounds, he saw a few of his closest friends including Shang, Chien-Po, Yao, and Ling. "Hey guys!" he cried, "you've got to go through this _thing_ too?"

Yao rolled his eyes and said nonchalantly, "Don't we all?"

The matchmaker's doors opened, and there was a lithe, curve figure of a female. She was around Shang's own height, had brown curly hair, and ever-brightly shining golden-gray eyes. "Fa, Ping?"

Ping stood, leaving Shang, Chien-Po, Yao and Ling behind. "Wish me luck," he whispered lowly and sarcastically, as to let his four friends hear.

The matchmaker led him inside, and snapped the door closed behind her.

"Tell me, Fa Ping," said the woman; "what kind of women do you have taste in?"

"Smart," listed Ping, "the kind who speaks her mind, and that's about it, I guess, and has a lot of knowledgeable wit and cunning."

"I see," said the matchmaker, and started marking a few notes on her chart. Ping gulped. Was this good? Or was this bad?

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_Next Scene_

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Ping wiped his sweaty brow. He'd been stuffed within that room with that woman for almost an hour. It was only proper that he'd been let out. He was in a daze. _I wonder what kind of __woman she's going to pick for me..._ he thought. _Hopefully not somebody who doesn't even know her own – OOF!_ He fell—on _something_. He looked up, and saw that he had bumped against Shang, and had landed on him. Chien-Po, Yao, and Ling gathered around both he and Shang, helping both up.

"I'm _so_ sorry, Shang," he apologized.

"No harm done, right?" asked Shang painfully rubbing his head.

"Are...you alright?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine."

Suddenly, the drumbeats of the high drum in the center of the city boomed its loud noise. Shang, Chien-Po, Ping, Yao and Ling all hurried to their respective houses, seeing the emperor's council, Chi Fu, on his skinny white horse, accompanied by two of the palace guards.

"Citizens!" declared Chi Fu, "there is grave news! The _HUNS_ have invaded China!" Many people—along with Shang, Ping, Chien-Po, Yao and Ling—gasped, horrified at the thought of the Huns going over the Great Wall of China itself. "Therefore," continued the emperor's council, "the emperor has requested that ONE MAN from EVERY family will _fight_ in the Imperial Army!"

He took out his scroll. "The Li family!" he called.

Shang stepped forward and accepted his scroll; in no way was he going to let just his _father_ get the action.

"The Fa family!" crowed out Chi Fu.

Ping sauntered forward, saying, "I will fight in the war in my father's stead," and accepted his scroll. Chien-Po, Yao, and Ling's families were also called, as well as other young and fit men. "You are required to report at the Wu-Shong Camp!"

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_Next Scene_

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The road to the 'Wu-Shong' camp was truly a very rocky one. Just yesterday, Ping's dragon guardian, Mushu, and Grandmother Fa's so-called 'lucky' cricket, Cri-Kee. Ping's black stallion, Khan, was neighing in a very bad mood. Even though Ping hated this route, he did this to save the Chinese people, as well as the Chinese emperor himself.

Shang had gone ahead, leaving Ping with Chien-Po, Yao, and Ling. Chien-Po had well controlled Ling, but Yao wanted to punch and beat up every single thing that came into sight, therefore leaving _BOTH_ Chien-Po and Ping a hard time to keep up with all those he fought with.

Arriving finally at the camp near sunset, all four of them were very tired. The imperial tents were set up, and Ping, Chien-Po, Ling, and Yao were lucky enough to share a tent, but the same question was hanging on their minds: "Where was Shang?"

While at dinner, Ping saw General Li (of whom she assumed to be Shang's father) come out with Chi Fu and Shang, and apparently, General Li was congratulating Shang.

Ping caught General Li's last words before he left for the front, "Good luck, Captain Li."

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_CAPTAIN?!_ Ping shouted in his mind, and a slick grin was plastered on his face. _So that's why he said he'd gone ahead!_ But then the grin faltered. _That means I have to be trained UNDER __him!?_

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**End Chapter**

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_Hopefully, this is review-worthy. Reviews will be greatly appreciated, constructive criticisms and flames are also welcome! Short though, but I hope it's good!_

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**-TranquilityGoddess**


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